Lincoln Speaks ( Get on Board the Freedom Train)
to
New Haven
There is a Mathew Brady photo of then candidate Abraham Lincoln, speaking on Union Avenue here in New Haven on March 6 1860. One Hundred and Fifty years later to mark the anniversary of Lincoln before the citizen's of New Haven, his landmark speech was reenacted. We can only conjecture as to what Lincoln would have thought returning to New Haven in 2010 to see his speech being ably reenacted by sons and daughters of slaves and sons and daughters of slave holders. I spoke with one of the student re-enactors from several New Haven Schools and he was not quite sure why he chosen to recite a portion of Lincoln's campaign speech. But Lincoln-Bassett principal Ramona Gattison, knows as she mentioned to me, that her participating students in the combined choir with the John Daniels School,, in the Lincoln Bassett band and chosen student reenacts as she mentioned will remember this day. Perched on the balcony above the audience of parents, friends, and unsuspecting travelers, the student Student Performers Otis Daniels (Lincoln-Bassett), Imani Knight (Lincoln-Bassett), Andrew Powers (New Haven Academy), Marion Pritchard (Wilbur Cross), Kenisha Rogers (Lincoln-Bassett), Joseph Roy (New Haven Academy) Jahi Stennett (Lincoln- Bassett) made history come alive and although they might not sense the impact now, participating the community events has a way of becoming embedded in your memory.
For this year’s event, New Haven Public School students were recruited to conduct research about Lincoln and his visit to New Haven and then present a public reading of his New Haven speech. As one of the key organizers Frank Cochran pointed out to me "after this celebration, the students will be encouraged and supported to teach younger students about what they have learned."
John Brown was referenced in one of the Lincoln excerpts , and while chatting with Paul Hammer who was one of the about 100 of those in attendance, Paul reminded me of his involvement in plays pertaining to John Brown who some considered to be either a liberator, saint or lunatic. Afro American Freedom Trail pioneer and Amistad Committee organizer Al Marder was also among those gathered to witness to this history, along with former Chamber of Commerce President, Mathew Nemerson and ubiquitous non-profit consultant Jim Farnam among others.
Along with community performers Frank Cochran, William C. Clark, Paul Vercillo
and Music Directors Carmy Buleje (John C. Daniels chorus), Sara Suitor (Lincoln-Bassett chorus), Thomas Schrinver (Lincoln Bassett band) and with the essential support of Gilder-Lehrman Center at Yale,Greater New Haven Labor History
,Association,New Haven Board of Education,New Haven Museum and Historical Society New Haven Office of Cultural Affairs and the New Haven Parking Authority making learning real and tangible was the clear and successful intention.
The organizing committee hopes that this commemorative event will be the first of an annual New Haven history event planned and performed by students and community for the New Haven community. What a marvelous idea, Cinque and the descendants of the CT 29th Civil War regiment must be smiling.
choir http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0_5JP3m5dE ;
band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuhWVwfATJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4e0OnPiMYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5YHc0uy5TI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGzIv9VvmUM
Comments